Christmas or Christmess?
10 Steps to Enjoy a Peaceful Christmas instead of a Christmess
Do you want to have a stress free holiday without going into
debt, enjoy a holiday dinner without family drama, try to keep
your weight down and your gratitude up? Fill your home with the
jammin' aromas from the kitchen and some jammin' soulful gospel
versions of holiday music. To enjoy and endure the holidays
think about these tips for you and your family:
1. You're creating stress if you're trying to impress.
Don't allow the pressure of society, media hype and holidays to
put you in debt. Living a financial lie of denial or a need to
impress others will create a miserable Christmess instead of a
Christmas of harmony and financial peace.
2. Depression and suicides are at an all-time high during the
holidays. Try not to isolate yourself and turn down invitations
to be with others. Depression is a thief that will steal your
joy, peace of mind and health. If you're depressed and grieving
about that loved one who won't be with you this holiday, stay in
contact with other family members and friends. Make a special
effort to keep your mind and heart free from self-pity and gloom.
Try not to soothe your broken heart by over indulging in
food, alcohol, drugs, shopping or sleeping. Don't ask for
trouble or play with someone's heart by calling up that ol'
boyfriend or girlfriend out of your desperation and loneliness.
3. Be proactive. Start saving early for those long distance
trips to avoid the separation and loneliness next year. Ship
your out of state gifts early to avoid the extra costs of shipping.
If invitations and opportunities are few or if you live far away
from family and friends, plan ahead to serve and help others at
local churches, community centers, hospitals, shelters, etc.
Planning early to help others gives you something to look forward
to and turns your attention away from your pain and loneliness.
4. Try making creative gifts like: candles, baked goods,
greeting cards, record their favorite music selections on an
audio tape/CD, a collage of photographs, a poem on fancy paper,
a special greeting or memory recorded on a video tape, quilts, etc.
5. Don't allow excuses (i.e., family grudges, my house needs
painting, I need new furniture, I don't have enough chairs) to
keep you from enjoying family and friends. Don't procrastinate.
Enjoy family and friends now.
Being around laughter and good food is healing.
If your money is low, don't be embarrassed to ask everyone to
bring a dish (sweet potato pie, peach cobbler, greens, macaroni
and cheese or the beverages).
Even if everyone has to bring a chair because you have only one
couch, so what! Ask them to bring a chair and a card table.
6. Attention parents, especially single parents, don't allow
your children to make you feel guilty and pressure you into
spending and shopping until you drop.
Stay within your budget and don't allow your children's begging,
harassment or tantrums to stress you out.
You may feel inadequate because you're single, unemployed,
going through a divorce or because you see everyone around you
buying the latest and greatest gifts.
Don't put yourself into financial bondage or let your children
buy you a first class ticket on a guilt trip.
7. Take some time with your family and friends and share your
blessings, achievements and testimonies from this past year.
Share your goals and plans for the new year.
Each of you write down at least three goals you have for the
new year.
Place them in separate sealed envelopes and pray together over
them asking for God's grace, guidance and blessings.
Next year all of you plan to meet again in December 2004 to
review and celebrate your achievements.
8. Remember the reason for the season.
The holidays have become more commercial and less consecrated.
Put the words "holy" back into "holidays,"
"thanks" and "giving" back into Thanksgiving
and "Christ" back into "Christmas."
Give and receive the warm feelings and acts of kindness, love,
hope, harmony and peace.
9. Don't drink and drive. Be responsible and careful.
10. Remember that the best things in life, aren't things.
The best present to give the ones you love is your presence.
Don't get stuck in debt.